
After
The Opposite of Loneliness
Marina Keegan2014
- pace
- prose
- structure
- bleakness
6 of 6 directions open
More like it
- pace0prose0bleak0
Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl
Carrie Brownstein2015
The guitarist of Sleater-Kinney recounts her upbringing and her experiences in the Pacific Northwest punk and riot grrrl scenes.
Same earnest register, still memoir
pace0·prose0·bleak0

- pace0prose0bleak0
Mermaid: A Memoir of Resilience
Eileen Cronin2014
A woman born without legs grows up in a large Catholic family in the 1960s. She navigates prosthetics, her mother's mental illness, and her body.
Same earnest register, still memoir
pace0·prose0·bleak0

- pace0prose0bleak-1
¡Hola Papi!
John Paul Brammer2021
A queer, biracial man recounts his life through the lens of his advice column. He discusses identity, hookup culture, and his Oklahoma upbringing.
earnest → playful, still memoir
pace0·prose0·bleak-1

- pace0prose0bleak+1
Change Me into Zeus's Daughter: A Memoir
Barbara Robinette Moss
A woman recounts her childhood of extreme poverty and physical deformity in 1950s Alabama, focusing on her struggle to fix her face and life.
Same earnest register, still memoir
pace0·prose0·bleak+1
1 more ↓ ↑
- pace0prose0bleak0
Life in the City of Dirty Water
Clayton Thomas-Muller2021
A Cree activist recounts his journey from a childhood of abuse and gang involvement to environmental leadership and spiritual reclamation.
Same earnest register, still memoir
pace0·prose0·bleak0
Denser prose
- pace-1prose+2bleak-1
Gödel, Escher, Bach
Douglas R. Hofstadter1979
An exploration of how cognition emerges from hidden neurological patterns. It uses math, art, and music to explain self-referential systems.
earnest → playful
pace-1·prose+2·bleak-1

- pace-1prose+2bleak0
Either/Or
Søren Kierkegaard1992
A collection of papers presents two life philosophies: the aesthetic pursuit of pleasure and the ethical commitment to duty.
earnest → meditative
pace-1·prose+2·bleak0

3 more ↓ ↑
- pace0prose+2bleak-1
The Argonauts
Maggie Nelson2015
A memoir of the author's relationship with her partner and her pregnancy. It mixes personal narrative with academic theory on gender and family.
earnest → meditative, still memoir
pace0·prose+2·bleak-1

- pace0prose+2bleak+2
The Gulag Archipeligo 1918-1956: An Experiment In Literary Investigation I - Ii.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
A history of the Soviet forced labor camp system based on survivor reports and the author's own imprisonment. It documents state-run repression.
earnest → bleak, still memoir
pace0·prose+2·bleak+2
- pace-1prose+2bleak+1
The Education of Henry Adams
Henry Adams
A man writes a sardonic third-person account of his life and his failure to adapt to the technological shifts of the late 19th century.
earnest → sardonic, still memoir
pace-1·prose+2·bleak+1

To recover
- pace+1prose-1bleak-1
The Hardest Fall
Ella Maise2018
A college football player and a quiet student keep crossing paths after an awkward first meeting. They eventually become roommates.
earnest → playful
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1

- pace+1prose-1bleak-1
Carry On, Warrior
Glennon Doyle2013
A collection of personal essays about marriage, motherhood, and recovery from addiction.
earnest → warm, still memoir
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+1prose-1bleak-1
Unfinished
Priyanka Chopra Jonas2021
The actress details her childhood in India, her time in American schools, and her transition from pageantry to a global film career.
Same earnest register, still memoir
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1

- pace0prose-1bleak-1
Tuesdays with Morrie
Mitch Albom1994
A journalist reconnects with his dying college professor for weekly lessons on life. They discuss aging, regret, and love as the professor declines.
earnest → tender, still memoir
pace0·prose-1·bleak-1

- pace+1prose-1bleak-1
Measure What Matters
John Doerr2018
A venture capitalist explains the system of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) using case studies from Google and Intel.
Same earnest register, still memoir
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1

Faster
- pace+2prose-1bleak-1
Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake
Frank W. Abagnale
A teenager poses as a pilot, doctor, and lawyer to cash millions in fraudulent checks. He evades the FBI across several countries.
earnest → playful, still memoir
pace+2·prose-1·bleak-1
- pace+2prose0bleak+1
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster
Jon Krakauer
A journalist recounts the 1996 Everest disaster. He details the logistical failures and the storm that killed several climbers.
earnest → tense, still memoir
pace+2·prose0·bleak+1
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+2prose-1bleak0
The Sun and Her Flowers
Rupi Kaur2017
A collection of short, illustrated poems organized into five stages of growth. It covers themes of loss, trauma, and self-healing.
Same earnest register
pace+2·prose-1·bleak0

- pace+2prose-1bleak-1
Pillow Thoughts
Courtney Peppernell2016
A collection of short poems and prose pieces organized by emotional state. It focuses on themes of heartbreak, healing, and loneliness.
earnest → tender
pace+2·prose-1·bleak-1

- pace+2prose-1bleak-1
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
Neil deGrasse Tyson2017
A summary of the origin of the universe, the laws of physics, and the nature of space and time.
earnest → playful
pace+2·prose-1·bleak-1

Slower
- pace-1prose+2bleak-1
Gödel, Escher, Bach
Douglas R. Hofstadter1979
An exploration of how cognition emerges from hidden neurological patterns. It uses math, art, and music to explain self-referential systems.
earnest → playful
pace-1·prose+2·bleak-1

- pace-1prose+2bleak0
Either/Or
Søren Kierkegaard1992
A collection of papers presents two life philosophies: the aesthetic pursuit of pleasure and the ethical commitment to duty.
earnest → meditative
pace-1·prose+2·bleak0

3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-1prose+2bleak+1
The Education of Henry Adams
Henry Adams
A man writes a sardonic third-person account of his life and his failure to adapt to the technological shifts of the late 19th century.
earnest → sardonic, still memoir
pace-1·prose+2·bleak+1

- pace-1prose+2bleak0
No Archive Will Restore You
Julietta Singh2018
The author examines the history of her own body through the lens of race, desire, and pain. It is a collection of fragments and academic theory.
earnest → meditative, still memoir
pace-1·prose+2·bleak0

- pace-1prose+1bleak0
M Train
Patti Smith2015
A musician travels to various cafes and gravesites around the world. She reflects on her late husband, her favorite books, and her daily rituals.
earnest → elegiac, still memoir
pace-1·prose+1·bleak0
Heavier
- pace0prose0bleak+2
Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture
Roxane Gay
A collection of essays by various authors regarding sexual violence and harassment. The writers describe personal experiences and cultural norms.
Same earnest register, still memoir
pace0·prose0·bleak+2
- pace+1prose-1bleak+2
A Child Called "It"
Dave Pelzer1987
A memoir of the author's childhood survival against severe physical and psychological abuse by his mother in California.
earnest → bleak, still memoir
pace+1·prose-1·bleak+2

3 more ↓ ↑
- pace0prose0bleak+2
When Rabbit Howls
Truddi Chase1987
A woman and her ninety-two distinct personalities document her history of severe childhood trauma and her journey through therapy.
earnest → bleak, still memoir
pace0·prose0·bleak+2

- pace+1prose+1bleak+2
Wasted
Marya Hornbacher1998
A detailed memoir of the author's decade-long struggle with anorexia and bulimia. It documents hospitalizations and the physical decay of the body.
earnest → bleak, still memoir
pace+1·prose+1·bleak+2

- pace+1prose0bleak+2
A House in the Sky
Amanda Lindhout2013
A freelance journalist is kidnapped in Somalia and held for fifteen months. The memoir details her captivity and the conditions she endured.
earnest → tense, still memoir
pace+1·prose0·bleak+2
